Oh No

I have dense breast tissue so I have often been called back to re-do a mammogram. So i went back in to have my right breast scanned and I was advised that they would also be doing an ultrasound. I asked them since an ultrasound had never been done before had something been found? They technician said yes. My husband and i went in to see the doctor and he said "You have breast cancer". Thankfully my husband was there because I didn't hear anything after that statement. I went in for a needle biopsy which returned as negative. I had a shortlived "Yea!" ~ my doctor insisted I had cancer and scheduled me for an MRI. The results were "suspicious" and recommended a surgical biopsy. So we scheduled the biopsy and the surgeon told my nusband that he did not see any evidence of cancer. A week later, on Valentines Day, I received a call advising that I had DCIS and tubular sarcoma.

Radiation

The first five weeks of my radiation treatment was fairly easy ~ I was just very tired after the treatment for 1-3 hours then rebounded. The last two weeks the radiation treatment targeted the tumor bed. This was not pleasant` It was like having a third degree burn on my very sensitive area! The doctor prescribed a salve which saved my sanity.

Drug or Chemo Therapy

I was prescribed Tamoxifen for five years since my breast cancer was progesterine/Estrogen positive. I had trouble with nausea and lack of appetite, weight gain, mild depression intermitently that went away after the first year. My liver also took quite a hit ~ my ALT/AZT enzymes were three times the normal range. This also triggered Type II diabetes. My doctor felt that because of the suddeness of the onset - within 3 months my glucose level jumped from 92 to over 500 ~ it was probably my liver being overworked. I have been off Tamoxifen for three months and am showing some improvement in my glucose levels. Since Type II runs in my family I may never return to my previous levels.

Celebration

Oh Happy Days when I hit my five year anniversary. My Oncologist said at this point she would have no problem referring my follow ups to my primary care physician. She felt I had reached the end and should remain cancer free! Yahoo~